Till Fire Purge All Things New by pandemonium_213

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Fanwork Notes

The title is derived from verse 900, Book XI, Paradise Lost by John Milton.

 

Fanwork Information

Summary:

Sauron has a moment of doubt in the Sammath Naur.

For B2MeM 2009: Day 15 -- The Ides of March: "Do I dare disturb the universe?"

MEFA 2009: First Place in Genres: Ficlets: General

Update! Illustration by the fabulous Robinka now added to the story!

Major Characters: Sauron

Major Relationships:

Artwork Type: No artwork type listed

Genre: General

Challenges: B2MeM 2009

Rating: Teens

Warnings:

Chapters: 1 Word Count: 196
Posted on 15 March 2009 Updated on 15 March 2009

This fanwork is complete.

Till Fire Purge All Things New

Read Till Fire Purge All Things New

The circle of fire seared his skin. Casting tendrils of light against the stone vaults of the chamber, his creation hoarded subterranean heat -- this culmination of the temptation of beautiful minds, of horrific betrayal, and after much toil and many trials, what might be success.

This ring, this one ring – so simple but not complete; this ring, his ring – like a willing lover, its quiescent flame awaited his entry, its empty template yearning for him to define its existence. Its light burned his eyes, his fate engraved in its script. His whole body quaked; his guts twisted into knots of uncertainty.

What if it works this time? Do I dare disturb the universe?

He stared at the ring and the domes of blistered accusation rising on his hand. Yet the pain purified him, purging him of fear. He knew the answer. Cold conviction froze tepid doubt. He breathed in the acrid pyromancy of the mountain’s fires, his throat raked raw, but the words he chanted were the stuff of song, resonant with the thrum of the mountain and the thunder of the skies:

Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul...and his mind screamed as it split in twain.

Sauron forges the One Ring in the Sammath Naur

Chapter End Notes

Many, many thanks to Robinka for the fantastic illustration!

Comments

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Guh, ummm, wow.  

Very, very well done.  And since you've reduced me incoherent rambling, I'll leave you with some Milton you no doubt know well. 

Into this wild abyss the wary fiend 

Stood on the brink of Hell and look'd a while,

Pondering his voyage; for no narrow firth

He had to cross. 

And you've reduced me to a fit of incoherent squeeing with those verses taken from one of my favorite passages in PL!  Those verses are so bloody appropriate.

Thanks so much!  This ficlet was spawned this morning over my second cuppa Tanzanian medium-roast.  It may very well become the centerpiece of a chapter in Eregion (if I still have the energy and guts to tackle that).  If that chapter ever materializes, I can see it titled "Into This Wild Abyss." :^)  *Shiver*  Milton has a way with words.

Thanks muchly, Rhapsy! Glad to know that you noted that moment of hesitation followed by that supremely arrogant confidence which indicates (my version of) Sauron is in character.\r\n\r\nIn my \'verse, Melkor can scream all he wants. No sound\'s going to get past that accretion disk. ;^)

Thanks, Binka!  You know, I actually have a picture painted in my head of this scene, but executing it is another matter.  Maybe once I complete my "legendarium" I should take a class or two to reactivate my art n' design sensibilities and illustrate my own work! :^D  But for now, I'll just "paint" with words. 

I have goosebumps! This is just wonderful, not happy-skipping-tra-la-lally wonderful, but dark and evocative and definitely thought-provoking wonderful. :^D That brief moment in the middle where Sauron shows that he has doubts somehow make the physicality of it worse in the end; it's so much easier when he's not sympathetic.

Beautiful writing, as always. :)

Thanks so much, Dawn!  Although writing a villain with a conscience and self-doubt presents its own challenge, I think it poses a greater hurdle for many -- but thankfully not all - readers.  

Pssst..have a look at Binka's illustration of the fic.  It's fantastic!

"I really, really want to see you write up the Sauron/Finrod song-duel from Sauron's point of view sometime..."

Be assured the dark muse has already nattered at me about that.  It just needs to be properly translated to MS Word. :^)

Thanks again, Raksha!